She will be loved
by AGENT Kuma-chan
Summary: Gift!fic for Kiki. NaruSakuSasu triangle, hints of SasuSaku, NaruSaku. She finds him one day, in the rain, and he's captured. Sakura is a girl that's too broken to be saved, but that doesn't mean that Sasuke or Naruto will stop fixing her cracks.


Fandom: Naruto

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing: **NaruSakuSasu—hints of SasuSaku, NaruSaku

**Prompts:** Sasuke-centric, dew drops, crumble, beautiful sin, "Kiss me so I can breathe again," remains a triangle, no NaruSasu

**For:** Kiki (**-bell.esque**)

**Warning:** Uh…there is sadness and bittersweet feelings here, but also some good ones too, so…the only warning is that the ending might not feel like an ending. Oh, and lots of little song things. But this is not a song!fic. I don't find those written well.

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_This here's the story of a girl_

_Who cried a river and _

_Drowned the whole world_

_And while she looked so sad_

_In her photography,_

_I absolutely love her_

_When she smiled_

_How many days in a year_

_Did she wake up to hope _

_And only found fear?_

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_**She will be loved**_

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The first time he meets her is when the grey clouds are thick and heavy with all too cold droplets. He's down on his luck that day, with nothing to his name and nothing in his heart. While not exactly depressed, he is in that empty void of nothingness and sorrow.

It's late in the evening and the rain is pouring hard on him as he sits on the concrete curb. His usually spiky bangs are flattened down and all around him people rush by, trying to get out of the rain, ignoring the lonely youth. Suddenly, though, a pair of dark blue jeans is all he can see and he can no longer feel the steady drip drop of water.

The wet boy looks up to see a young girl about his age holding a bright green umbrella above his head. Her hair is layered and pink, while her eyes are a dark shade of viridian. The girl gives him a small smile before saying, "It isn't healthy to be in the rain—you'll catch a cold." The rain is falling on her instead, he'd like to point out, but instead the dark-eyed boy stares silently at her. She offers him a hand, which he accepts, and pulls him up.

"My boss would like to see you," she tells him, her voice soothing and gentle, and he notices the rain drops fringing her eyelashes and the refreshing scent rolling off her. She reminds him of a spring drizzle.

"Why?" he replies, his own voice dark and rough, like the thunder threatening to overtake the skies.

"For a job," she answers simply.

He hesitates, but only for a moment because he _is_ currently jobless and broke, with bills to pay and things to accomplish. The world revolves around money, as he bitterly learned long ago, and jobs give cash. Nodding, he motions to her to lead the way.

She gives him another smile before she slowly starts to head off in the night, still holding the umbrella over his head. "I'm Haruno Sakura."

He softly replies, "Uchiha Sasuke."

-x-

After following her down several winding streets and making many twists and turns, she finally stops in front of a large building. He doesn't have time to observe it as she immediately goes in and takes him an office. Instead the posh and richly decorated office, he meets her boss, along with a blue-eyed male and a brown-haired female. Her boss is sitting on a chair, with a ornate desk in front of him, while the other two stand a slight distance away, facing him.

"Ahh," her boss, a dark-haired man with pasty-pale skin speaks, hissing softly, "Seems like both of you found someone." His golden eyes coldly flicker to Sakura and from the corner of his eye, Sasuke sees her flinch.

While they were walking to here, she spoke quietly every now and then, but the moment they entered the room she had immediately stopped. Now he knew why.

"Well," her boss glances at the blue-eyed boy once more, "Uzamaki Naruto, right?" the blond nods, "You'll be working with…" his voice trails off, softly and with an air of darkness, and Sakura quickly blurts out, "Uchiha Sasuke."

Her boss nods once more, lifting the tense feeling, and continues with what he was saying, "Naruto, Sasuke, you will both be working together if you choose. Welcome, both of you, to my…" his voice trails off, as though he was choosing a word, "…a 'modeling' company. I'm Orochimaru."

His manners dictate otherwise, though, and Sasuke finds himself wondering what the company actually does.

Orochimaru flicks his hand and Sakura quickly scurries to the desk in front of him and opens a drawer. Reaching in, she grabs a folder and pulls two sheets out, putting them in front of him. She then quickly moves back to Sasuke's side.

"Ahh…the contracts," he says, looking over the papers, "Would both of you like to join me for a year, then?"

Sasuke isn't sure why he agrees to working for this man. There is something about him that makes Sasuke automatically distrust him. He is penniless right now, though, and needs to make ends meet. Maybe that's why he chooses to sign, even though the boss seems like he has another agenda.

A flash of dark green eyes makes him wonder if that is the only reason.

-x-

The job isn't too hard, as he soon finds out. Coming the next day at six am, he is immediately greeted by Sakura and her bright green eyes.

"Good morning," she politely smiles, "Follow me." Leading the way, she walks past stunning posters and fake plants. Walking on a soft carpet, she takes him up the stairs to the third floor, before going down the dark red corridor. Stopping in front of one of the wooden doors, she opens the door and steps in.

The room isn't overly filled, with just two chairs, a curtain, and a few mirrors. There's also a table covered in several bottles and a basket filled with clothes.

"Here's your first outfit," she tells him, giving him some clothes from the pile, "Close the curtain behind you and change. I'll then lead you to the photographer."

Sasuke looks at her blankly, and she quickly adds, "Don't worry, I won't peek." She then ushers him into one side of the room and pulls the curtain behind her. "Now, hurry!"

There was nothing else for her to do but follow her orders. After all, he had just joined the company—she'd have to guide him for a few days.

"I'm going to be giving you your outfits for the day, your meals, and ensure that everything is done smoothly," she tells him from the other side of the curtain. "In essence, I'm like a manager." She makes a small sound, a giggle perhaps? He can't tell because she stifles it quickly. A few footsteps are heard and a clicking noise.

Noiselessly, he strips his clothes off and puts on the designs. It is basically just an open white-shirt and dark blue pants, making him wonder if this place actually gave off designs or if they were just lying.

"Oh, and you'll be getting your money on a daily basis, Uchiha-san," her bright voice continues and he opens the curtain, saying, "Call me Sasuke," because Uchiha-san reminds him of another time and another place, when he was at the top.

She turns from where she was, looking down at some papers, and gives a soft gasp. The rosette blushes lightly, and stutters a bit as she drops the paper. Quickly, she gathers them all up, her fingers clumsily grabbing the sheets and clutching them to her chest. It's slightly amusing, her reactions.

Silently, still flushed, she leads him down the hall to a photographer. "Here's our newest model," she tells the red-haired man behind the camera. "Sasori-sama, he'll be working with Tenten-san's model sometimes. Today, however, his shots are to be—"

A tired voice interrupts her, "I know already." The photographer says nothing else as he sets up the camera and continues to focus it.

"Oh…" the girl's voice trails off, quietly, and her eyes darken. Bowing, she tells Sasuke, "I'll be back when the shoot is over," and leaves the room.

Watching her figure disappear, the new model banishes her from his thoughts as he listens to his instructions.

He can't fully get the image of her broken smile out of his mind, though.

-x-

Days start to pass in a similar fashion. Sasuke and Sakura would arrive early, but at the same time. She'd give him a small smile to which he'd give a non-committal grunt. The pink-haired girl then would give a small laugh and take him inside. Her light and carefree chattering would continue until they reach _his_ door. Instantly, she'd turn silent and her bright jade eyes would dim as she slips inside the room to gather their assignment. It's only after they've reached his change-room that she'd start up again.

She'd blush lightly when he'd appear in his next set of clothes, take him to the photographer, and leave. Sometimes he'd pose by himself, sometime with Naruto, and afterwards she'd come and get him ready for the next shoot.

Oddly, the girl and his job are growing on him and he doesn't know what to think of the safe routine that he's falling into. It's a ritual of soft touches and gentle smiles, with a touch of laughter and a spark of something.

Sasuke thinks he might be content—not happy, because happiness is something that could disappear _oh so easily_, but **content**.

One day, though, the routine changes.

"Uchiha-sa—Sasuke-san," she corrects herself, "Naruto is going to work with us today."

"…" Sasuke raises an eyebrow. It wasn't anything unusual, but she seemed tense.

"I…I meant," Sakura rushes on, "I'll be a manager for both of you for a while. Tenten-san…she's…" her voice trails off, before she quietly says, "She's 'sick'."

Something in her voice makes him wonder if that's the truth.

-x-

_I'm hanging by a moment_

_Here with you_

_Letting go of all_

_I've held on to_

-x-

"Sakura-chan!" the bright boy runs in, hugging Sakura. She gives a squeak of surprise and he lets go.

"Naruto! Please don't surprise me like that!"

"Aww…Sakura-chan, you should know by now it's me!" He gives her bright smile, causing her to turn red. "Do you have a fever?"

"N-no!"

"You sure? You're very pretty and nice, Sakura-chan! And now we're going to work together!"

She starts to giggle and blush at his words, Sasuke notices, as they keep on talking. He's standing a small distance from them, frowning. The way those two are acting…it's as though they were close.

Very close.

Sometime twists in him as he continues to observe them. Something that feels bitter and angry and he doesn't know what it is.

As Naruto continues to flirt with the girl, Sasuke gives a soft growl.

_(Uchihas don't like to share.)_

-x-

The next few days, Sakura arrives later than Sasuke, which surprises him.

Then he realizes that Naruto's affecting her. It can't just be coincidence that when she arrives, Naruto is with her.

It also can't be coincidence that she's flushed and their clothes are slightly crumpled after a break. Sometimes they even left the building together.

The dark-haired boy observes them, noticing how the smallest touches cause Sakura to turn red, how Naruto whispers to her sometimes and gives her knowing smiles.

The air feels heavy and dark between the two boys as Sasuke gets ignored just a little more and more everyday.

Today is no exception and Sasuke is barely even given his clothes before Naruto attacks the girl, giving her a big hug.

"Sakura-chan! I missed you so much," he whines, dragging her after him to his room. She flushes lightly, before saying, "You saw me yesterday, Naruto!"

She's turned a little braver around Naruto, a little more open, and Sasuke hates him for it. She's slowly disappearing from him, the distance between them growing, and he cares about this far more than he should. A manager, that is all she is, and he has no right to interfere with her life.

Naruto is about to pull her into his room.

"Sakura," he calls out, appeasing the heavy feeling on his chest. "Come here."

Naruto looks disappointed as she leaves him for Sasuke, and the Uchiha smirks.

He wouldn't let Sakura slip away _that_ easily.

-x-

A few months go by and the two boys are tense around each other. Whenever they see each other, heated glares appear and sharp insults are heard. They both are vying for their manager's attention and try to show off their talents.

Sakura remains oblivious to all of this.

She's ridiculously innocent, sometimes, but it's that innocence that attracts them to her.

For Naruto, she's warmth and hugs and tuck-me-into-beds—the home he never had.

For Sasuke, she's gentleness and kind and _real__**alive**__here_—things that he wished he had in the home he lost.

Sakura isn't beautiful, just maybekinda pretty with her slightly large forehead and her just a little rough and dry hair. She's the only girl who catches Sasuke's eye, though, and is currently the one that's captured Naruto too.

They notice everything about her.

So when she appears one day with dark purple bruises marring her pale arms, they see it.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto worriedly asks, gently holding one of her arms, "Who…who did this to you?"

She looks at him curiously and then notices her arm. "Oh…nothing. Please don't worry about it," she replies.

"How can I _not_ worry about it, Sakura-chan? Tell me which bastard did it—I need to go teach him a lesson!"

"Oh, Naruto…please, it's not needed. Just ignore it."

"I can't do that! Did he threaten you? I'll keep you safe!"

"Naruto, let's just get to work."

"Sakura," is all Sasuke says, and Sakura gives a quiet sigh.

"Sasuke-san, Naruto, I know you mean well but…I don't _need_ to be saved," she gives them a small broken smile, one that has seen too many empty promises and dark threats, "I'm fine as is. Now, let's go to work!" she then gives a bright (_fake_) smile as she drags them to their rooms.

Naruto tries to get her to say something, anything, but she refuses to talk about it until finally he gives up.

_Some things are better left unsaid_, is all that she tells them.

-x-

Six months have passed since he's joined, and Sasuke arrives to work earlier than usual. The sun has barely risen and the crystalline dew drops still cling to the plants as he makes his way to the building.

Sakura is early that day too, for some reason, and looks surprised when she spots him.

"Sasuke-kun!" she smiles at him. Over time she finally dropped the '-san' and changed it to '-kun'.

He couldn't fully describe the feeling that bloomed when she changed it, a feeling that was all too light and heavy at the same time.

"Sakura," he nods and they both stand outside the building for a moment. The sky is still filled with the pinks and oranges from the sunrise when he notices her eyes.

There are tears in them.

He looks at her pointedly, and she gives him a faint smile. It's nothing, she says, and I need to go in, Orochimaru-sama needs me right now.

Sasuke lets her go. He can get her to talk about it later.

-x-

Naruto doesn't appear at work today and so it is just Sasuke and Sakura, like it used to be.

She smiles at him, chats with him, and gives a semblance of normalcy, but something still feels wrong. He makes it a point to ask her about it during lunch, but when lunch does come, he can't find her.

On a whim, he walks to the front doors of the building and sees her outside. It's raining now, just like that day when she came and found him, and she's standing once more outside in the rain.

Quickly, but not making it look like he's in any hurry, Sasuke heads out to bring her back in. When he's a few footsteps away from her, she turns to give him a long look and he stops.

Her eyes are filled with despair and sadness, something he saw years ago in himself.

Something he doesn't want to see in her.

Giving him a shaky, fragile smile, she says, "Sasuke-kun, the rain—"

"Sakura," he cuts in, walking forward until he's in front of her, "What's wrong?" He's never direct, never asks the questions, but this is Sakura and today there is no Naruto to ask the questions that need to be answered.

Today there is only Sasuke and as it is Sakura—small, quiet, beautiful, _always there _Sakura—he'll break the norm.

Something about the question causes her façade to crumble and she starts to cry. Her tears slowly travel down her cheek and she pushes her head into his chest. Startled, he hesitantly puts his hands on her shoulders and lets her lean on him. Even though they are both standing in the rain, he doesn't try to take her in right away.

"Sasuke-kun," she mutters into his chest before leaning her head back. _"Kiss me so I can breathe again." _There is urgency in her voice and something desperate and _needing_ in her eyes. Her words don't make much sense, but the underlining message does.

He can't refuse her.

(_Never could_.)

Besides, he's wanted this himself ever since the day he looked at her and thought, "_She's mine_."

(Because boys will be boys and things like beauty and sparks are always there but not talked about—it's taken for granted that she's everything he's wants.)

Their kiss isn't magic or fireworks, like everyone says kisses are supposed to be. Instead it is soft lips on softer lips and a heated breathes. It is delicate things breaking and rejoining to form something stronger and more passionate and more striking.

Sasuke thinks that this is enough for him and wonders why he didn't do this before.

-x-

She didn't tell him what was wrong that day, no matter how he tried to get her to try.

Instead, something else started that day, something that goes on for days to come.

Every day, small moments are stolen between the two. Small brushes of fingers and capturing glances and touching lips and—

Before Sasuke realizes it, he's fallen for her deeply. Small moments grow into longer ones and longer ones into eternal ones until he isn't sure of when he's with her and when he's not.

What's worse, though, is that he knows he isn't the only one. Naruto also steals her away, steals her away and does things to her just like Sasuke.

Naruto also realizes that Sakura is with both of them. He isn't so dense that he doesn't notice. He's never dense in these sort of things.

Sasuke doesn't ask her about this, doesn't ask her about 'them' and 'us', about that fluttery feeling that might be love and that dark gravity that's probably jealousy. He doesn't ask where she was, because that is obvious, and doesn't ask who she'll chose, or even why.

He wants to, though, because he's tired of living in a world where people tell half-truths and paint themselves with their lies. Seeing fake smiles and promises of happy-ever-afters that _never_ come true because someone always has to give, but no one does.

He doesn't ask because every time he tries, Sakura looks at him with her jaded eyes and he knows that she doesn't have the answers yet.

Sasuke isn't sure if he wants to hear the answer even then.

-x-

_So say it to me _

_Say it to me,_

_And I'll leave this life behind me_

_Say it if it's worth_

_**Saving me**_

-x-

Nearly a year has gone by and the contract is set to expire in a week. Naruto isn't here today again, so it's just Sasuke and Sakura.

"I have something I want to tell you," she says quietly during the lunch break and he follows her as she leads him outside to a small park. Walking to a bench, she sits down on one side and pats beside her, inviting him to sit down to listen.

"Remember that day, the day when we first kissed? I didn't tell you what was wrong but…I suppose I'll tell you now. At least, just a little bit. I can't tell you everything, because there are some things that should remain buried and hidden," she gives him a small smile and pauses for a moment. He takes this small break to turn comfortably so he can watch her as she spoke.

"I…that day, something happened. I…I…I wish I could tell you everything, really, because sometimes it gets so heavy and hard to bear, and I'm just so tired of it all—of all the lies and disappearances and it hurts. It hurts so badly. That day…that day was bad. I guess it all came together into a high point that just broke and everything washed over me. All of my sorrow and fear and…well, everything just broke and I couldn't take it any more. I couldn't take life any more."

She turns to him and gives him a bigger smile.

"I was going to give up, but then you showed up. And…well, you just gave me a breath of life, enough for me to keep going. You gave me the very thing I needed to feel better. Thank you, for that."

He doesn't know what to say to that and just gives a small, "Aa."

"I…Orochimaru-sama took me under his wing for many years. I won't lie and say that they were the best years of my life—in fact, sometimes I'm sure they're the worst—but it is certainly better than what I had at home. Even though he does sometimes make me question that."

"The bruises?" he asks before he can stop himself.

"…yes, the bruises. Not from him always, though. And not always because…well, these are things I can live with. I've lived with them all my life and I don't mind living with them for more years. He saved me when I was alone and cold in the streets, and that is how our story began…"

And slowly, she tells him of a life that is filled with many variables and few constants, a life that didn't touch the ground for many years and when it finally did, it was because the sky crashed down with her. She, true to what she said, doesn't tell him everything, leaving many vague things, but enough to show that disappearances because of illness usually meant death and enough to show that this isn't the best life for her.

This isn't a life meant for her.

"You and Naruto…I…It would be cliché for me to say I love you both, wouldn't it? Perhaps, and I never really did believe that someone could love two different people. I do, though, know that I've never really loved anyone like the two of you before. I probably will never again," he wants to stop her here, tell her that he's not going anywhere, but he's Sasuke and is never good with emotions, so he doesn't. "I…well, Sasuke-kun, I guess I couldn't choose between the two of you because love is a new feeling to me and both of you make my heart go fast and every time I look at either of you, I feel like I'm able to fly and my clipped wings aren't tied down any more."

"Sakura…" _Let us save you_. He doesn't finish the sentence because she knows what he's trying to say.

"I don't need to be saved. Someone tried to, a very long time ago, but he let me down. I don't need to be saved because I don't deserve to be saved. I've done horrible things in my life, destroying lives and hurting others."

Her voice reflects years of yearning and prayingwishing to be free, but never being able to. She's a girl too broken by the world, he realizes, someone who lost her way a long time ago and never found her way back.

He sees a little of himself in her right then, a little bit of a lonely boy not trusting the world and its bright hopes to save everyone, and knows right then that he can't leave her.

(He couldn't the day he met her.)

-x-

_The next day, Sasuke and Naruto sign the contracts for another year._

_She is someone they'd try to save over and over again. _

_(Saving her meant saving themselves too.)_

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_I'll do whatever it takes_

_To turn this around_

_I know what's at stake_

_I know that I've let you down_

_And if you'd give me a chance_

_And give me a break_

_I'll keep us together, __I know you deserve much better_

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**A/N:** So, kinda a day late, but really, who's counting! Anyways, I hope this is good story, though I'm sure there are many mistakes in it.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'll try my best as I'm sure I've left many unanswered questions.

Anyways, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIKI! HOPE IT IS GREAT!

And I know this isn't good enough, but I hope it will do!

Review!


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